Seawall Fest Moves To New Location

June 04, 1999|By SAM MCDONALD Daily Press

Portsmouth's Seawall Festival has danced down the bank of the Elizabeth River to a new location for 1999.

Construction of a hotel and parking garage on the traditional site forced a change. So this year's event will take place in a grassy lot located between the High Street ferry dock and the Downtown Tunnel at Crawford and First streets.

Linda Lamm, one of the festival's chief organizers, believes the new location will be a hit.

"It's a larger area, and the parking is in the same location," she said. "It's bigger and better. If the logistics work out well, we're hoping this will lead to development of a permanent festival park at the location." Lamm said the lot is the last undeveloped parcel on the downtown waterfront.

Highlights from this year's festival include an appearance by the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile, the beloved cartoon characters Scooby-Doo and Fred Flintstone and the musical mastery of Bill Deal and Fat Ammon.

Many familiar features have returned: arts and crafts, more than 20 rides, children's stage entertainment and, of course, plenty of festive food and drink.

- Sam McDonald may be reached at 247-4732 or by e-mail at smcdonald@dailypress.com

SEAWALL FESTIVAL

* 1999 Portsmouth Seawall Festival

Directions: Between the High Street Landing Ferry Dock and the downtown tunnel at Crawford and First streets

Hours: 5-11 p.m. today, noon-11 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

Parking

$4 at these garages:

Harbor Court Garage

Crawford Square Garage

City Hall Garage

Children's Museum Garage

Free parking for the disabled in the PortCentre parking lot at Crawford and First streets.

Call 393-8800 for more information.

Ferry Service

$1 each way. Loading points are at High Street Landing and are accessible to the disabled.